Week 20: Baking, bling and cycling

This week started with a tea party for Contact the Elderly. My husband and I became volunteers for the charity last year and agreed to host a tea party twice a year for lonely elderly people. Since January this year I've taken on extra responsibilities as our local group's coordinator.

Contact the Elderly is a charity really close to my heart. In this day and age, having children really doesn't guarantee there will be someone looking after you or keeping you company in old age. Hubby and I are a prime example of that, we've both moved abroad and while we love our parents very much and will do as much as we can to assist them, we're not exactly grow old in loneliness. That's why we volunteer.

Homemade sausage rolls

Usually hubby is the baker in this house but with work calling him away earlier than expected, it fell on me to do most of the baking this time. Hubby did manage to make a mean lemon tart before leaving though, even if it did give him quite a run for his money!

Hole in the otherwise perfect tart was courtesy of a curious toddler...

This time, the rest of the grub on offer included sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls, waffles, carrot cupcakes and meringue nests.

As always, it was all well received and our elderly guests had a lovely afternoon being entertained by our cat making somersaults trying to catch insects and flying leaves while our toddler was being all round cute as only she can do.

The crystals for my blinging project arrived this week so I was able to finish decorating Nimue's shoes. I'd originally thought I'd decorate the whole front part of the shoe but I decided against it in the end, I just think it would be too much. Anyway, I've already used close to 500 crystals as it is! I have another pair of high tops which I'm planning to add a little bling to, hopefully I'll get round to it this week.

My daughter was rummaging through my expansive craft stash this week and pulled out a bag of scoobidoo cords so I felt compelled to make her one. Inspired by the weather I picked some sunshine colours. Incidentally, scoobies are really great with teething babies, Nimue loves chewing on them when her teeth are annoying her. I do need to learn to make spiral ones, just for variety's sake.

I have a confession to make, I am completely addicted to manicures and pretty nails. Every time I keep telling myself that they're unnecessary and a waste of money and really bad for my own nails but I always end up caving in. Last month I had some very pretty spring nails with cherry blossoms painted on them, this month I've gone for a more classic, yet still a tad quirky look.

We've gone and checked on the cygnets this week and were saddened to see that three haven't made the cut. I know it's nature and all that but it still feels cruel that they can't all survive. The ones left over are still pretty darn cute and fluffy.

On Friday I received a belated birthday gift in the form of a bike seat for my daughter. I love cycling, it is by far my preferred method of transport, but I hadn't been on the bike since getting pregnant with Nimue. The morning sickness made me too weak and then with baby in tow, I couldn't really go anywhere on the bike, until now. We took it for a spin on the Bristol-Bath cycling path yesterday and had great fun until our little ride was cut short by Nimue falling ill halfway. Life with kids, he! I am very happy to be back on the saddle though and can't wait to cycle some more.

My little stuntwoman :-)

That's pretty much the week wrapped up but it wouldn't be complete without a picture of hubby's baking treat for this weekend. Yes, yes, I'm a lucky girl!

Fresh crumpets, nom, nom!

Enjoy the sunshine folks x